MINNEAPOLIS – The Daley dairy farm family withdrew its federal law suit against opponents of its expansion plans, including individual members of the Winona County Board and environmentalists. Magistrate Judge David Schultz granted the withdrawal. The Daleys noted, however, that they free to revive the suit in the future. Also, they still have litigation pending in a state court. The Daley decision was a surprise, coming after years of persistent appeals in the courts and regulatory agencies and the county government to quadruple their feedlot near Lewiston. Some dynamics in the Daley fight with the county changed seriously in the November election when they lost key supporters:
> Ken Fritz, retired county administrator, who was backed by the Daleys, lost decisively, 62% to 37%, to incumbent Chris Meyers, who had opposed a Daley expansion.
> Steve Jacob, a County Board member who favored the Daleys, won a seat in the state Legislature, which left his County Board seat vacant for the next eight months.
> Marcia Ward, a County Board member who backed the Daleys, was left the only member on record on their side.
In general, whatever support that the Daleys had in the general public seemed seemed to be dwindling. Call it Daley Fatigue. The last straw may have been the latest lawsuit, filed un November, which forced individual defendants to hire lawyers at their own expense to defend themselves. This seemed petty. The defendants, all public-minded citizens of modest means, called the suit bullying intimidation. One their attorneys called the suit. frivolous.
Feedlot issue
Winona County has a limit on livestock feedlots — no more than 1,500 animal units, which figures out to 1,071 dairy cows. The Daleys wanted an exception to expand to 6,000 animal units.
Litigants
The Daleys filed the suit in November 2022, the latest in a four-year campaign to expand their herd.
Plaintiffs: Daley Farm of Lewiston, Ben Daley, Michael Daley and Stephen Daley.
Defendants: Marie Kovecsi, Chris Meyer, Greg Olson, all County Board members as individuals; Cherie Hales, Bobby King, Doug Nopar, Johanna Rupprecht, Barb Sogn-Frank and Kelley Stanage, all as individuals, all associated with the Land Stewardship Project, and LSP itself.
Earlier: Daley dairy accused of stifling farm policy dialogue
Earlier: Daleys accused of spiteful political attack
Earlier: Daleys back in quest to grow herd exponentially
Earlier: County’s attorney: Dead-end ahead for new Daley suit
Earlier: Not giving up: Daleys persist for 4,500-cow farm
Earlier: County to Daleys: Let’s spell it out: N-O
Earlier: Feedlot opponents organizing resistance
Earlier: Mega-feedlot ban again before County Board
Earlier: Daley dairy expansion denied again
Earlier: Daley expansion critics go door to door
Earlier: Next Daley move: “All cards on table”